title: Anxiety and depression in asthma patients: impact on asthma control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is evidence that asthma is associated with an increase in psychiatric symptoms and mental disorders. This association can make it difficult to achieve asthma control. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the level of asthma control is associated with anxiety and depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  A crosssectional study involving 78 patients with confirmed moderate or severe asthma and under regular treatment at the Asthma Outpatient Clinic of the Federal University of São Paulo Hospital São Paulo, in the city of São Paulo, Brazil. The patients were divided into two groups by asthma control status, as assessed by the asthma control test, and were subsequently compared in terms of demographic, clinical, and spirometric data, as well as scores for asthma quality of life and hospital anxiety/depression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The sample was predominantly female. Of the 78 patients, 49 (63%) were classified as having uncontrolled asthma. The prevalence of anxiety and of anxiety+depression was significantly higher among patients with uncontrolled asthma than among those with controlled asthma (78% and 100%; p = 0.04 and p = 0.02, respectively), whereas there were no differences between the two groups in terms of the prevalence of depression, spirometry results, or quality of life score.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this sample, the prevalence of anxiety symptoms was higher in the patients with uncontrolled asthma than in those with controlled asthma.In the evaluation of asthma patients, the negative impact of mood states ought to be taken into consideration when asthma control strategies are being outlined.
authors.affiliation: Federal University of São Paulo, Paulista School of Medicine, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Arlindo
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: Ilka Lopes
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: Samir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dracoulakis
authors.forename: Lilian Ballini
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Caetano
authors.forename: Ana Luisa Godoy
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Fernandes
mesh_terms: D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D001249:Asthma / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D035061:Control Groups; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index